Means for cleaning bottles or other containers



y 1929. L. R. N. CARVALHO 7 MEANS FOR CLEANING BOTTLES OR OTHER CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ms HTTORA/t) y 1, 1929. N. CARVALHO ,0

MEANS FOR CLEANING BOTTLES OR OTHER CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1925 All -41 [)9 (20 6- lNVENTOR Patented May 21, 1929.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESLIE B. N. CABVALHO, OI TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE .CLOSURE SERVICE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MEANS FOR CLEANING BOTTLES OR OTHER CONTAINERS.

Application filed liovember 23, 1925. Serial No. 70,788.

My invention relates to means for cleansing the neck portions of bottles or other containers used 1' or catsup, mayonnaise, dressing, mustard, ch'illi-sauee, and other substances, after the-containers are filled, preparatory to scaling a cover thereon. In filling bottles with catsup or other materials, the material is commonly spilled over and adheres to the top surface of the bottle neck or finish, so that when the cap is applied, it is cemented in between the cap and the bottle. Further more, drippings sometimes stream down the neck of the bottle a short distance, leaving a streaky hardened formation thereon. The above is clearly objectionable. My invention obviates this difficulty and makes possible a sanitary sealing operation.

An object of my invention is to provide simple and practical means forremoving spil ings adhering to the exterior surface, particularly the neck portion of a filled con ta-iner. A preferred embodiment of my invention comprises means for distributing to the upper peripheries of the containers, a

fluid such as steam, liquid, air, etc. The fluid distributing means may operate from opposite sides of the containers and may include nozzles disposed so as to impinge jets or streams of the said fluid on the neck portions of the containers.

A further feature of my invention comprises the provision of means providing temporary closures for the filled containers while the latter are being operated upon by the cleaning fluid.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention in its preferred form.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an'end elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken at the plane of the line IVIV on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of my invention showing a different arrangement of nozzles.

Bottles 6 arranged at regular intervals on an endless conveyor 7, and held in place by guide-rails 8, pass from the filling machine en route to a capping machine. Mounted in a suitable support along the path of the endless conveyor 7 and between the filling machine and the capping machine, is a standard 9, having mounted thereon a yoke 19, The yoke is rotatively and vertically adjustable on the standard 9 and is clamped in adjusted position by a bolt 90. The said A vertical pipe 13 adjustably supported bythe said gripping device 12, and having its upper end connected to a source of fluid supply not shown), supplies cleansing fluid to distributing means for cleansing the containers moving on the endless conveyor 7. The vertical pipe 13 carries at its lower end by screw engagement, a four-way connection, or cross 21. Elbows 16 screwed into the lateral orifices of the said cross 21, carry short Vertical pipes 17 (see Fig. 3) and elbows 18. Mounted in the said elbows 18, is a pair of nozzle pipes 19 above and parallel with the conveyor. The nozzles. 19 are provided with discharge apertures 20 and end-closing caps 22. It will be noted that spaced relation of the said nozzles permits the bottles 6 traveling over the conveyor 7 to pass therebetween.

The nozzles are disposed in a plane above the conveyor to correspond to the length of the particular bottles which are being cleaned. A plug 15 formed with differential screw threads at its ends and a screw head nearits central portion, has one end screwed into the lower orifice of the cross 21, and serves to support from its other end, a temporary closure means 23 which effectually closes the open filled containers during the cleansing operation.

The temporary closure means 23 consists of a long thin member preferably made of rubber, asbestos compounds, or other suitable substance 24 riveted to a frame 25. Preferably, the member 24 is substantially longer than the nozzles 19. The closure means is disposed horizontally and immediately over the containers, and lightly contacts therewith in the passage of the said containers en route from the filling machine to the capping machine. Further, this closure is held against movement in thedirection traveled by the containers so that there is provided a wiping engagement between said closure and the top surfaces or finishes of said containers as they pass through the cleansing station. Theresult of this contact is, that portions of the material which has lodged upon said top surfaces adhere to the lower surface of the closure and other portions are moved to the sides of the container for removal by the cleaning means 24. The lower threaded end of the plug 15 extends through an'opening in the member -26, the latter being clamped between adjusting nuts 15 and 27, permitting vertical adjustment to accommodate bottles of different lengths. It has been found in practicethat compressed air is a very satisfactory cleansing medlum. The current of air 1m- .pinging against one side of the bottle, carries around the entire periphery thereof and thoroughly cleans the entire bottle top.

Figure 5 shows a modified form of my in vention having a difierent arrangement ofthe nozzles. This modified construction consists in elongation of the closure or wiper and the extension of the two nozzle pipes 19 in opposite directions from the point of connection to the supply pipe. This construction materially lengths the period during which the top surfaces of the containers are subjected to the wiping operation and provides for application of the cleaning fluid first to one side of the containers and then to the other side at a succeeding station. It will be apparent from the construction of the distributing meafis 19, that various arrangements thereof are possible to secure the most effective obliteration of the spillings. V

' Mode'of operatiom-Jn the operation of my device, bottles 6 are carried on the conveyor 7 in their passage from the filling machines (not shown) to a capping machine (also not shown). Between these two-last mentioned points, the containers undergo the cleansing operation. A fluid, such as air or steam spray or hot water, is ejected from apertures 20 in the pipes 19, and impinges against the upper portions of the containers. This completely removes any spillings on the finish or neck of the container.

. In order to prevent the cleansing fluid from gaining admittance to the open containers on which it operates, the temporary .closure means 23 lightly contacts with the tops of the containers and closes them during the cleansing operation. Q i

Modifications of the above may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a continuously traveling conveyor for successively carrying:

articles in an upright position past a cleansing station, said articles having open upper ends, a wiper arranged above the conveyor at said station to wipe material from the top surfaces of the articles and temporarily close the articles, and means for directing a cleaning fluid against the upper side portions of the article at said station.

2. Apparatus for. cleaning the exterior surface of an open ended container comprising means for supplying a cleaning substance and directing 1t agaist the exterior surface of the container adjacent its open end, means for bringing the container into. position to be cleaned, and stationary means for temporarily closing and cleaning the top surface of the container during the cleaning operation.

3. Cleaning apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed pipe having a series of lat- .eral apertures therein, means for conveying a cleaning fluid to said pipe and causing it to be ejected through said apertures, and a stationary plate positioned above said apertures and arranged to close the open ends and clean the top surfaces of containers while the liiittsr travel through the path of the cleaning 111 4. Cleaning apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed pipe having a series of lateral apertures therein, means for conveying a cleaning fluid to said .pipe and causing it to be ejected through said apertures, a stationary closure plate positioned above said apertures and arranged to close the open ends and remove material from the top surfaces of con- 7 tainers while the latter are in the path of the cleaning fluid, and an endless conveyorforming a support for a series of-articles and carrying said articles past saidpipe with their open ends beneath and closed by saidclosure ate. p 5. The combination of horizontally disposed pipes spaced apart and each provided with a series of apertures through which a cleansing fluid is directed toward the other pipe, a conveyor beneath said pipes forming a support for containers and'by which the containers are carried between said pipes in position to have their exterior surfaces cleaned by said fluid,'and a stationary plate located above said pipes in position to engage and close the upper open ends and clean the top surfaces of the containers, said plate being yieldable vertically.

6. The combination of a traveling conveyor forming a support for articles to be cleansed and by which the articles are carried past a cleansing station, a vertical standard adjacent the conveyor, an arm extending laterally from said standard, a nozzle pipe extending longitudinally of the conveyor at the cleansing station, a supply pipe connected to the nozzle pipe and mounted on said arm, means for supplying a cleansing fluid to said pipes, and means for vertically adjusting said arm on the standard to permit variance in the elevation of said nozzle pipe.

8. The combination of a traveling conveyor forming a support for articles to be cleansed and by which the articles are carried past a cleansing station, a vertical standard adjacent the conveyor, an arm extending laterally from said standard, a nozzle pipe extending longitudinally of the conveyor at the cleansing station, a supply pipe connected to the nozzle pipe and mounted on said arm, means for supplying a cleansing fluid to said pipes, and a temporary closure carried by said arm and having wiping engagement with the upper ends of articles moving past the cleanslng station.

9. The combination of a traveling conveyor forming a support for articles to be cleansed and by which the articles are carried past a cleansing station, a vertical standard adjacent the conveyor, an arm extending laterally from said standard, a nozzle pipe extending longitudinally of the conveyor at the cleansing station, a supply pipe connected to the nozzle pipe and mounted on said arm, means for supplying a cleansing fluid to said pipes, a temporary closure carried by saidv ber, 1925.

LESLIE R. N. CARVALHO. 

